Affiliate Marketing Gets Boost From Green Business Opportunities

A whole new segment of affiliate marketing has developed in the past two to three years: marketing companies that sell environmentally friendly products creating green business opportunities.This green trend is allowing people who care about the environment and want to make a difference to actually make a living marketing green-only products. With affiliate marketing, the business owner receives a commission from ads placed on an unrelated website or blog.When choosing an affiliate, it's a good idea to pick one that is a good fit for your website. Some successful entrepreneurs have launched sites that focus entirely on organic food and other products, and load their sites up with ads from companies selling green goods.The following is a list of the types of businesses that sell "green" products and also have affiliate programs:---Health food---Several online health food stores are looking for affiliates to marketing their sites and their products.---Cosmetics---There's a growing number of women who are becoming aware of the potentially harmful effects of chemical-laden cosmetics. This is a growing area of Internet commerce.---Homeopathic products---This is a growing area of the healthcare industry, one that focuses on natural products first for health care problems, and only using more traditional medicines as a last resort.---Pet supplies---Yes, people even want their pets to help save the environment. Such companies make homeopathic pet foods, and toys and other products made from recycled or natural materials.---Clothing---Several environmentally-conscious clothing designers are offering lines of green clothing, made from organically grown cotton and hemp. These clothing lines are not found at traditional brick and mortar stores, making affiliate marketing vital to the success of these online businesses.---Hair care products---Like the cosmetics industry, more and more hair care companies are designing products that use organic, non-chemical ingredients.---Organic food---This is a huge market that is expected to continue to grow as more people turn away from chemically-treated foods and are willing to pay more for organically grown products.---Lawn and garden---People want beautiful gardens and lawns, but are now much more aware of the harmful effects chemicals may be having on the environment, particularly our fragile waterways. This is another fast-growing green market.No matter what the focus of your website or blog---or if you are creating a green website to tap into this growing market---the number of green affiliate programs continues to grow. And that can only mean the opportunities to make money through this green trend will also continue to grow.Most of the businesses featuring green products have only been around for a few years, making this an industry that is still in its infancy. Now may be the perfect time to join in the green wave and create your own green business opportunity.

How Green Is a Green Business Really?

When former VP Al Gore produced his Oscar-winner 'An Inconvenient Truth', and brought environmental consciousness to the public, there were lots of businesses going green already. It wasn't that they were ahead of the curve doing what was best for planet Earth. It's just that green business practices can often be more profitable. Getting new energy-efficient equipment for instance can save millions for any company. Wal-Mart for instance is turning itself ruthlessly efficient and cutting out unnecessary packing materials and other such waste. Since the retailer is so large, when it asks its suppliers all around the world to cut down on wasteful packing material, they all jump. Of course these businesses would be glad to let you think that they do this because they have Mother Earth in mind. But you do know better.So okay, green business practices make financial sense. But there is a point beyond which being environmentally conscious behaviour actually loses money for a company. What do they do then? They fudge facts, of course. The thing is, while the FTC does have lots of rules for what a company has to do to be able to claim credit for being green in any way, lots of businesses don't really do half of what they say. The FTC may have rules - but it never goes to check who's out of line.The small green business is always trying to sell you little precious ideas - shampoos made out of essential oils, cleaning products that contain no ammonia and that come out of agricultural waste, and so on. Did you ever give any thought to the possibility that these could be less green than the chemicas-stuffed mass-produced products you get at Wal-Mart? Lots of mega-retailers, Wal-Mart included will only sell concentrated cleaning products. What this means is, you only have to buy one package of a product in concentrated form as opposed to five of the environmentally friendly non-concentrated stuff. While small green business might love producing products that are great in themselves, producing non-concentrated stuff makes them use five times as much packaging. And the packaging, more than the product itself, is what causes all the environmental harm.The same goes for companies that use unrecyclable Styrofoam and plastic packaging materials. The alternatives tend to be heavier, and they tend to use more fuel in the transportation process. And that's where the real damage to the environment comes from. And finally, green business houses will often give green with one hand, only to take it away with the other. Companies like Toyota make great hybrid cars to help the environment of course. But then, they will also spend millions to try to get the government to take back some of its environment protection laws.The moral of the lesson is, it's very difficult to tell who was really green. And it will be that way until human nature changes.

Are You Ready to Start a Green Business?

When most people think of what it means to start a green business, they often think of the radical groups who held rallies to help make people aware. Truthfully, this is in the past. Now, if you wish to start a business that is green, you only need to decide just how environmentally-friendly you want it to be.The first thing to think about when you start a green business is your physical location. What type of heating and cooling system will you be using? While you may think the cost to install a more environmentally-friendly system will be more expensive, the truth is, it will save you a lot more money in the long run. Of course, if you are building and want to be as green as possible, you may even want to consider using solar-panels to supply your energy needs.You will also want to consider how you plan to reduce and reuse the materials you will be using everyday. For example, a business can save a lot simply by keeping their records on the computer instead of printing them out. When you do have to print out various forms for your business, you will find recycled paper will work just as well. If shipping out products, be aware of just how much packing material and what kind you are using.Of course, another consideration for your business is its carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the impact your business has on the environment from its carbon output. If your business has a high output, you may want to consider planting some trees to offset your use. This is one step that more businesses should be practicing.The truth is, you can start a green business very easily. Even if you do not think you are ready to go full-force, there are many steps you can take toward being more green. From a simply recycling plan to a more intense overhaul of all your practices, there are many variations and you can decide how much you are ready for.

Good Business Sense - Make Your Business Green

Give People What They Want: What Can Your Business Do To Go Green?:Organic produce and green products managed to survive a recession. This speaks volumes. There are people who want to protect the environment and choose environmentally friendly products whenever they are available. Retailers need to offer recycled, organic and chemical-free merchandise, particularly in communities that are environmentally aware.Printers should look for post-consumer recycled materials. Restaurants and food purveyors have biodegradable food container options, and they can increase their quality by choosing local ingredients whenever possible. Any manufacturing business can choose raw materials that are recycled or, at the very least, nontoxic materials. All of these options will help green a business.Honestly market green business strategies. Consumers are becoming jaded because many companies stretch the truth when it comes to their environmental impact. If you managed to reduce waste by 20 percent, then that is the figure that should be advertised. Appeal to the emotions of consumers by stressing personal business goals. For example, keep the public aware of any new projects in the pipeline that will potentially have a positive environmental impact, and share success stories after they are implemented.Green advertising is becoming commonplace. We are inundated with pictures of trees and wildlife, so try to come up with something unique to market a green business. Choose images that reflect the business itself, and use them to connect with customers electronically. Not only does this save on printing costs, it will also save trees. If it is possible, pick up a green business certification, such as being certified organic, LEED certification or Energy Star ratings. Certifications provide independent proof that companies are succeeding at their attempts to become green.Ways to Save Money and the Environment:Green business does more than attract new customers; it will save money. The money saved on energy alone makes going green worthwhile. Start by choosing energy saving light bulbs. They last 10 times longer than traditional bulbs and use 75 percent less energy. Keeping the lights off when a room is empty will also lower the electric bill. Another energy saving tip is not to use light bulbs at all. Many rooms can be lit simply by using available daylight. Remove window coverings and try using natural light. Natural light provides vitamin D and lower energy bills at the same time. Using sunlight at work is also good for growing plants that decorate the room while oxygenating the air.Along with allowing natural light in, try letting in some fresh air as well. Air conditioners use quite a bit of energy and run up the bill. Open the windows and run ceiling fans on nice days. If it is simply too hot to turn off the air conditioner, turn up the thermostat at the end of the day. Do not turn it off because it takes more energy for it to cool the building when it comes back on in the morning.Purchasing equipment that is energy efficient can reduce energy bills. Always check the Energy Star rating at before buying new electronics. Make sure that all equipment is clean and in good working order, and turn off machines when they are not being used. Phantom power can be drained by electronics when they are not in use, but there are power strips designed to prevent the loss of phantom power.Purchasing environmentally friendly products is not only good for the environment; it is good for the health of everyone in the building. For example, nontoxic cleaning supplies are less likely to incite allergic reactions or cause asthma to flare up. Cleaning services that specialize in using only natural, chemical free products are growing. Try finding one, if the size of a building demands a cleaning crew.Use recycled paper products whenever possible. Look for products labeled that they contain "post-consumer waste." Recycled paper products that are easy to find include paper towels, toilet paper, napkins and paper plates. Better yet, provide real plates and glasses in the kitchen or break room. These can be washed and reused, which will cut costs on paper products and reduce waste.Conduct business online or over the phone whenever possible:We live in the digital age, so why not take advantage of it? Teleconferences make it possible for people across the globe to meet and discuss the business without having to travel. This saves energy and money on travel expenses. Telecommuting is becoming a popular alternative for many employers. Allow people to telecommute at least part of the week if their jobs allow for it. They might appreciate not having to fight morning traffic.No one enjoys sitting in traffic, but commuting to work still remains a drain on natural resources. There are several options to reduce the energy used simply to go to work. Some businesses encourage employees to carpool or institute working four 10-hour days rather than five eight-hour days. There is also o growing trend of providing "green benefits." Some companies offer subway passes or bus tokens as part of their employee benefits package. Others go so far as to financially assist employees who green their houses or purchase energy efficient vehicles.Businesses that require company vehicles should look into energy efficient cars, trucks or SUVs. Hybrids are becoming easier to find as the price of fuel increases. It is also important to understand that a vehicle needs to be maintained for optimal energy efficiency.Reducing waste will cut costs and help a business go green:Use shredded papers, obviously not any documents with sensitive information, as packing material. Save rainwater and use it to water plants later. Set the printer to print both sides of the paper automatically, and choose a smaller font size and often style. Century Gothic is a font recommended for saving ink and money. Buy recycled ink cartridges and donate or recycle old electronics and supplies.Start a recycling program at work and get the employees involved. Recycling bins may be available, but without employee involvement the program will not be successful. Encourage them to find new ways to make the business green and share them. Make going green more than company policy; make it an employee led movement. Employees with environmental interests will connect with the company as the feel that working allows them to support their ideals and draw a paycheck.Green Remodeling:This is a good time to remodel. There are plenty of green builders, and the government may offer financial help to certain green building projects. A directory of government programs is available online at http://www.greenbiz.com. Whether building a new structure or remodeling, look into LEED certification. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System can easily be researched online, and being LEED certified proves to customers and employees that the business is built upon the premises of sustainability and environmental concern.Like any other business venture, networking is essential. Try to network with other environmentally friendly business owners. Purchase products from other green businesses and refer customers to them. They will return the favor. Find a green business owner to mentor you as you make changes in your own company. Someone with an established green business will likely have a wealth of information on becoming certified, finding products, reducing waste and saving money.Going green is an important step for a business to take. No matter the size of a company, it is possible to draw in customers and reduce company costs by creating a greener workplace. Green policies will also affect employee morale and involvement. Overall, a green business draws people together as they unite around a common cause. Preserving resources and saving the environment will not only save money and energy, it can also create a sense of pride in knowing that a business built today will have a positive impact on the future.

Offsetting Air Travel Emissions As a Green Business Practice

We all know that air travel has impacts on the environment and a number of companies now include offsetting their air travel carbon impacts as one of their green business practices. However this is not as easy as it seems. Carbon emissions are not the only impact from air travel and different offset calculators use differing methodology to determine how much should be offset. Aside from this, the level of your personal emissions also varies depending on flight distance, the type of plane and whether you are flying business or economy. This article will help you understand some of the different factors that contribute to your personal air travel carbon emissions.Aeroplanes burn fossil fuels to operate which release CO2 into the atmosphere. There are different opinions on how much air travel contributes to global CO2 emissions with figures ranging from 2% to 10%. Not only are CO2 emissions an issue but aeroplanes also release water vapour, nitrogen oxides and methane. The environmental impact of these is greater when released at high altitude than what it would be at ground level. While these impacts are not entirely understood, it is generally agreed that a radiative forcing factor should be used when determining the impacts of air travel. Radiative forcing is the rate at which a given atmospheric gas alters radiation that is entering the atmosphere.Not all emissions calculators include the radiative forcing factor in their calculations which underestimates the environmental impact of the flight. To make it even more complicated there are differing opinions as to what the radiative forcing factor should be set to. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommend a radiative forcing factor of 2.7 and this seems to be most commonly used. So for a more accurate assessment of your flights impacts, you want to choose a calculator that includes radiative forcing but the story does not stop there.There are a range of other variables that affect your individual emissions. First is the distance traveled and whether this is long or short. Short distance flights are less fuel efficient overall due to the fuel consumed during takeoff and landing but they also generate less condensation trails (water vapour) due to the shorter time spent at high altitude. The type of plane will also impact the level of emissions from the flight as newer model aeroplanes tend to be more fuel efficient.As for the emissions each passenger is responsible for, this will vary depending on whether the flight is full and whether the person is traveling economy or business. If the flight is not fully occupied, each person will have to offset a higher level of emissions to offset the whole impact of the flight and if you are traveling in business class, you are taking up more space and will be responsible for a greater percentage of the emissions.As you can see calculating the emissions to offset air travel is not as straight forward as it first seems, in spite of this an understanding of the factors that contribute to your personal emission levels from air travel gives you a better idea how your travel decisions impact the environment.

Green Business Tip - Go Paperless

Here's a common claim in offices these days: "We're green, we recycle all of our paper, print-outs, old files, etc." I'd offer this added challenge to anyone wanting to go greener: Instead of recycling everything and pretending to be green, just stop printing everything and really go green in your office.So you may be thinking, "But I need to print things out. I have to print reports, emails, designs, invoices, estimates..." Do you? Really?Most often, printing things out is a company policy, although sometimes it is done just out of a desire to have a physical copy of something. If it is your company policy to print things out and file things in paper folders in filing cabinets (which by the way costs you a small fortune in wasted office space), I would suggest talking to your supervisor about transitioning to a paperless system. Eliminate the need for paper redundancy and set up a proper system for accessing and backing up documents via networked servers. Dump those space-wasting file cabinets and get in the habit of only keeping digital copies of documents and files.Stop using CDs, DVDs, and other physical media to send and store files. Physical discs are worthless as a backup medium since they degrade over time and can become unreadable in as little as 3 years. There are a wealth of file storage and transfer options available, such as YouSendIt and MobileMe, that can be used to quickly send large files. For backup purposes, talk to your IT folks about a proper file storage system that includes a redundant array of independent disks (RAID).If it seems impossible to go completely paperless, consider just how paperless you already could be and that you may actually be taking extra steps right now to not be paperless. Those documents you just printed out to file away, they were already digital. That sketch a customer just emailed to you and you printed out to show to a coworker, it was already scanned and emailed, meaning you could have just forwarded that email to your coworker instead. And that disc you just mailed to a client, not only did it cost the company money to purchase and mail the disc, your client won't get it until tomorrow. You could have used YouSendIt for free (or for a small monthly fee for greater capabilities) to get that large file to your client in just a few minutes.

Green Business Saves Millions of Dollars Through Switching Off Computers

Using a new program dubbed as PC Power Management, the program centrally controls power settings on Windows laptops and desktop computers to cut down on electricity waste. Power profiles are used on every computer of the company so that the usage patterns are screened and it can be decided when to switch off the computers.The program has the capacity to turn off computer systems that are not being used -or those that are left overnight or on weekends- to save electricity. Users that are away do not have to worry about unsaved files as the system automatically saves open documents before shutting down. Ford's newly installed program also includes the ability to make sure that all computers linked to the Ford intranet will be able to get software installed at off hours so that networks will not be as congested during work hours.The new system will be implemented by Ford computers users all over the United States for this month. Other Ford users across the world, on the other hand, aim to follow suit later in the year.According to Ford information technology project supervisor Keith Forte, in the past, around 60 percent of Ford computer users have not turned their PC's off at the end of the business day, which resulted in lots of wasted energy.Forte adds that as a result of the new program, interruptions that are caused by software updates will be lessened and PC electricity use will be managed more efficiently.In one of the studies conducted by Software company IE Inc., they found out that that almost half of all employees who use computers at work do not turn off their computers by the end of the day. This has resulted in wasted power from computers amounting to over $2.8 billion in the United States alone.Ford is famous for its efforts to become a green business. Their green business endeavours included improving energy efficiency in its United States facilities by almost 35 percent starting in 2000. The green business initiative translates to saving the annual electricity use of more than 150,000 households. In 2008, Ford improved energy efficiency again, this time by 5 percent, which resulted in savings of around %16 million.Ford's efforts at becoming a green business have earned the company the Energy Star Award for the fifth consecutive year, an award bestowed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Energy Star is an international criterion for consumer products' energy efficiency.Ford produces and distributes automobiles across six continents. Ford brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo.

Programs to Help You Become a Certified Green Business

Many people are becoming aware of our environment and how we are depleting our precious resources such as energy and water. Conserving what we use today will mean our future generations will have the use of these resources. If you are like minded and you are contemplating opening a business, you may want to look into becoming a certified green friendly business. There are things you must do and maintain in your business to get that coveted certification, but it can be done.The first thing that needs to be done is calling the green business coordinator in your county. Each county has a coordinator. They will provide you with an application, a green business check list and a business directory. If you need help, the county coordinator will come to your home and explain and help you through the process of getting your business certified.Now that you have the information needed to start this process, read the paperwork and find out what policies are required. Compare those to your policies and change them if necessary. You must place the new policies some place in your business where each employee will see it. Offer your employees a chance to help you with this process. Perhaps this will make the employees start thinking about implementing some of those changes in their households.It is necessary to learn the business standards, then go to the business bureau and access their online assessment to see where your business currently stands. You might learn learn new and better green tips for your business. If you can fit it in your budget, consider hiring a green consultant who is certified. The consultant will be a true wealth of information for you, and give you suggestions that will help you become certified.Upon your completion of the application, it is necessary to understand and adhere to the environmental rules. Be expecting people coming to you office at any time, unannounced to make sure you are upholding the regulations on a daily basis. They expect you to continue to do this as long as you own your business. Make sure that you remind your employees to keep to the rules at all times.More and more customers do their shopping at green owned businesses. There are more popping up everyday. Many companies are offering these types of business certification programs. This program will teach you everything you need to know, and help you receive your certificate. Rumor has it that the government may make a regulation that all businesses have to follow green policies. Why not get a head start and become a green company.You must think about the difference you will make with you green business. Taking the class will give you the tools needed to start being green. Customers are drawn more to green shops because they practice policies that are green. Your company will be noticed locally for being green. This can be good for business, and you will be an expert on the green subject.We have barely scratched the surface about being green and certification. The program that is currently available to you will give you the knowledge you need to help you get through each step of the process. Your business will begin to grow and flourish with many new customers as they learn about you. It would be nice to supply your customers with basic tips of things that can do in their residents to further the cause of our environment.

Are You Ready to Start a Green Business?

When most people think of what it means to start a green business, they often think of the radical groups who held rallies to help make people aware. Truthfully, this is in the past. Now, if you wish to start a business that is green, you only need to decide just how environmentally-friendly you want it to be.The first thing to think about when you start a green business is your physical location. What type of heating and cooling system will you be using? While you may think the cost to install a more environmentally-friendly system will be more expensive, the truth is, it will save you a lot more money in the long run. Of course, if you are building and want to be as green as possible, you may even want to consider using solar-panels to supply your energy needs.You will also want to consider how you plan to reduce and reuse the materials you will be using everyday. For example, a business can save a lot simply by keeping their records on the computer instead of printing them out. When you do have to print out various forms for your business, you will find recycled paper will work just as well. If shipping out products, be aware of just how much packing material and what kind you are using.Of course, another consideration for your business is its carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the impact your business has on the environment from its carbon output. If your business has a high output, you may want to consider planting some trees to offset your use. This is one step that more businesses should be practicing.The truth is, you can start a green business very easily. Even if you do not think you are ready to go full-force, there are many steps you can take toward being more green. From a simply recycling plan to a more intense overhaul of all your practices, there are many variations and you can decide how much you are ready for.

Affiliate Marketing Gets Boost From Green Business Opportunities

A whole new segment of affiliate marketing has developed in the past two to three years: marketing companies that sell environmentally friendly products creating green business opportunities.This green trend is allowing people who care about the environment and want to make a difference to actually make a living marketing green-only products. With affiliate marketing, the business owner receives a commission from ads placed on an unrelated website or blog.When choosing an affiliate, it's a good idea to pick one that is a good fit for your website. Some successful entrepreneurs have launched sites that focus entirely on organic food and other products, and load their sites up with ads from companies selling green goods.The following is a list of the types of businesses that sell "green" products and also have affiliate programs:---Health food---Several online health food stores are looking for affiliates to marketing their sites and their products.---Cosmetics---There's a growing number of women who are becoming aware of the potentially harmful effects of chemical-laden cosmetics. This is a growing area of Internet commerce.---Homeopathic products---This is a growing area of the healthcare industry, one that focuses on natural products first for health care problems, and only using more traditional medicines as a last resort.---Pet supplies---Yes, people even want their pets to help save the environment. Such companies make homeopathic pet foods, and toys and other products made from recycled or natural materials.---Clothing---Several environmentally-conscious clothing designers are offering lines of green clothing, made from organically grown cotton and hemp. These clothing lines are not found at traditional brick and mortar stores, making affiliate marketing vital to the success of these online businesses.---Hair care products---Like the cosmetics industry, more and more hair care companies are designing products that use organic, non-chemical ingredients.---Organic food---This is a huge market that is expected to continue to grow as more people turn away from chemically-treated foods and are willing to pay more for organically grown products.---Lawn and garden---People want beautiful gardens and lawns, but are now much more aware of the harmful effects chemicals may be having on the environment, particularly our fragile waterways. This is another fast-growing green market.No matter what the focus of your website or blog---or if you are creating a green website to tap into this growing market---the number of green affiliate programs continues to grow. And that can only mean the opportunities to make money through this green trend will also continue to grow.Most of the businesses featuring green products have only been around for a few years, making this an industry that is still in its infancy. Now may be the perfect time to join in the green wave and create your own green business opportunity.

Go Green! The Green Business Program in Monterey Bay Area, California

Monterey Bay Area offers a Green Business Program which is a multimedia (soil, air and water) pollution prevention effort that makes a positive relationship between the public, business community and government. It is an incentive based program designed to encourage businesses to match or exceed environmental standards.The Green Business Program takes pride in recognizing the businesses that lead the way in the environmental field within the Monterey Bay Area. By recognizing their good work in the area it allows for other businesses to follow their example. The Green Business Program wants to show businesses that they can accomplish both being green and profitable-and good members of our communities.To be a certified "green," participating businesses need be in accordance with regulatory agencies and meet program criteria for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste. Their program is designed to assist, recognize and promote businesses that decide to operate their businesses in a more environmentally responsible way. The Monterey Bay Area Business Program wants to encourage and pave a path for more companies to go green.The Program was first started in 2003. It currently provides aide and certification for vehicle service facilities and restaurants. In the near future, the program will set its sets on assisting and certifying printers, hotels, landscapers, dry cleaners, and wineries in the Santa Cruz area.In 2004 on Earth Day the Program Partners awarded the first Certified Green Business Awards to seven local auto shops at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors program kick-off ceremony.Some of the local agencies that are a part of the Green Business Program Partners include the Sanitation District, Public Works Department Recycling and Solid Waste, Environmental Health Services, City of Santa Cruz, City of Scotts Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant, City of Watsonville, Soquel Creek Water District and the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.If your business or one that you know wants to be a part of this program, you can contact the Green Business Program of Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito County and they will gladly assist you in answering all of your questions and help you get started making your company a Green Business.

Harvest Green - Business Success in Harmony With Our Environment

Our ecosystem is an interrelated organization of life, where each individual aspect contributes to the grandeur of the whole. It is an elegant system of life and a source of inspiration. As Businesses and Professionals, you are in the perfect position to be creative leaders and Harvest Green. You can embrace the very same model as our ecosystem and by doing so; you can increase your prosperity, success and customer loyalty.This is a perfect time to find and convey new ways to reconnect with our dear planet, to celebrate her beauty, diversity and power and to Harvest Green. Imagine the first light of dawn glistening over the oceans. Imagine a sweeping panorama from the heights of mountains. Imagine the sweet scent of flowers or the deep fragrance of forests. Our environment lifts our hearts, while it provides the particles of our bodies, the food on our tables and the means to nurture our lives.As I share suggestions to help you expand your green horizons, think abundance ... think health ... think growth. Green for Abundance
Green is the metaphysical color for abundance. Greening your business can attract and maintain a greater flow of energy and prosperity. If you are in retail, choose fantastic recycled gift boxes, shopping bags, wrapping papers and biodegradable peanuts for packaging. Your customers can have beautiful wrapping paper and signature bags, while knowing that you are contributing to the well-being of our planet. Your store, spa and business can be a great place to increase your eco-efficiency. Make sure that you take advantage of recycling in your area. Replace the bulbs in closets and storerooms with low voltage, low energy bulbs. Using less and thus receiving more in value creates abundance.Small, in-house events are an excellent opportunity to increase your green presence and abundance. Have a "green give-away." Give-away a low voltage florescent light bulb every time someone purchases a book about the environment or purchases a natural product. Abundance flows in all directions and these are all excellent incentives to bring a full circle of abundance and support. Green for Healing
Green is a healing color. Every business has an opportunity to be a source for eco-friendly products and education. There are so many things you can do to create a healing environment for your business, staff and customers. Your Spa and Healing Center can switch to and promote organic and environmentally friendly products. A beautiful display featuring your organic and healing products will support those manufacturers and pamper your customers, while you receive the compliments and sales. Introduce a newsletter for your staff and your clients with eco-tips and thoughtful ways to reduce waste and increase energy efficiency. If you replace all of your cleaning supplies with safe, organic cleansers; use quality air and replace bottled water with filtered tap water, you will increase the environmental quality of your offices. Your clients and staff will appreciate your attention, services and products by giving you more support and sales. That is all part of the healing and greening process. Green for Growth
The color green signifies growth. You can expand and grow your business by adding green products and services. You don't have to wait until Earth Day to celebrate the environment. Your retail store can feature books about the environment. Have a rotating "Green Display" that showcases books, products and services that increase the environmental awareness of your clients and your staff. Your Spa and Healing Center can have "Green Weekends." Pamper your clients with an exclusive weekend celebration of all organic, natural and healing products and treatments. Even traditional businesses can Harvest Green. If you see clients at your office, then make sure you serve them organic teas and coffee. Replace the high sugar, high fat snacks in your vending machines or snack room with organic snacks, sodas and juices.If your clients and customers have a choice between products that are good and products that are good and eco-friendly, they will naturally purchase the green products. Buying a green product brings additional benefits. If your clients and customers know that you are paying attention to their needs and paying attention to the health of your world, you give them another great reason to do business with you.Being a little more green helps your customers, helps your staff, helps the world and it helps your customers and your staff to help the world. Make today the day to Harvest Green.Copyright 2008 Lumari. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Does Green Business Consider More Than Just Carbon Now?

A green business should be about environmental sustainability and include carbon footprint and energy management. A truly green business has an environmental management system like ISO 14001 (called EMS for short) is about managing the environment in a systematic way and starts by identifying all the environmental aspects of the business operation that could cause a significant impact. The next stage is to look at the risk and identify how significant that risk is before setting objectives, targets and the resources needed to reduce the risk of harm. The EMS then builds in monitoring, review and continual improvement.The two major problems with the current political approach are that firstly greenhouse gas emissions commonly referred to as "carbon" have overridden all the other environmental impacts and the other is the emphasis on financial accounting associated with these greenhouse gas emissions rather than managing and reducing them.  Climate change caused by atmospheric pollution is a very real problem and we must reduce our greenhouse emissions and do so urgently, but this is not the only environmental impact that should be considered. There is a real danger of ignoring other environmental issues as we concentrate on one thing alone.Where a business uses a systematic EMS approach to reducing their greenhouse emissions, carbon reduction can be thought of as a subset of EMS but this is becoming increasingly rare and is not included in the political framework at this stage. A systematic approach to identifying and monitoring the carbon equivalents through a business can be set up within an EMS so that the business is prepared to cope with the accounting side of the political trading scheme if they find themselves in a supply chain and need to produce figures. A criticism could have been levelled at some earlier environmental management systems including iSO 14001 was that they failed to consider energy management and greenhouse emissions a seriously as they could have. It was easy for people to become locked into their current energy use and regard this as essential where there is a more critical look at this in more recent systems as a result of the greater awareness of the problem.Unfortunately at present there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about how we, as a society and as individuals should manage our energy needs. The accounting frameworks are not yet fully established and many of the so called carbon neutral auditing schemes are less than robust.  Some in fact are almost meaningless. The embodied energy in buildings and equipment in particular are often totally omitted as inexperienced auditors focus on a limited list of easily measurable emissions.There are many examples of businesses that think that they have "gone green" in this new ideology. A typical scenario is that someone, often the Office Manager, has organised a carbon audit and the business has paid the first of many bills for offsets without changing anything in their business. They are paying to pollute although hopefully this practice will decrease as it becomes increasingly expensive; because the aim of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is to raise the price of this pollution as a means of providing an incentive to greenhouse gas emission reduction. Paying to pollute fails to produce any behavioural change within an organisation.Carbon offsets are traded for a wide variety of and while some of very effective in reducing greenhouse emissions, others are harder to verify and measure and can be considered as more questionable. The broad public perception of what can be traded as offsets is usually tree planting but in fact it can be much more measurable than this activity. Insulating houses is being subsidised using carbon offsets which does provide for a reduction in carbon emissions associated with heating and cooling those houses. Replacing incandescent globes with compact fluorescent (CFL) ones is another activity funded by offsets although a concern here is that the facilities for correct disposal of those CFL globes is not being provided because mercury going to landfill is not included in the trading scheme. It is a pity about that significant environmental impact. Householders having the globes changed are not being advised of the need for correct disposal now where to dispose of them. Methane capture from some landfill sites and some composting activities are also being traded for offsets.There are some serious issues that should be considered with tree schemes and these include the most appropriate use of fertile farmland, the difficulties in accurate accounting of the carbon in seedling trees, the ongoing maintenance of the plantations, the increasing risk involved with fire management and last but no means least, biodiversity issues associated with the choice of plantings. Payment to landholders to retain existing vegetation makes more sense. There are certainly some more significant environmental impacts that are being ignored in the area of tree planting.At present carbon is certainly competing with the environment for publicity and for government support but the best way for an individual business to implement a sensible carbon management plan and prepare for carbon accounting is to include careful energy management into a comprehensive environmental management system so that they are able to get real business benefits and rewards from their EMS rather than merely paying to continue polluting.   In that case, good carbon management is a subset of EMS.

Green Business in the US

What is a Green Business? It seems as if almost everyone is talking "Green." Green is everywhere around us. Bill companies are going green, grocery stores are going green, everyone is cashing in on green, but do we fully understand what it is.A green company or business is marked for its ability to decrease the impact made on the environment by waste, harmful chemicals and materials used to process or make products and services. The direct impact made from all of these products produce a gas which is referred to as carbon dioxide and is referred to as the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint therefore branches off from ecological footprint analysis, which then examines the ecological capacity required to support the consumption of products.One of the most popular examples that we see today of going green is going paperless which is what the majority of bill companies and banks try to get us to do. Instead of sending out paper and paying for stamps they want you to sign up for emails or create accounts online in which you can see your account activity and take care of your business without using or wasting paper.Green Businesses look for alternative ways to create or use products repetitively so we don't have to produce new ones such as paper, lead pencils, emails and more products which are not harmful to the environment and still function the same or at a better level and preferably with a lower cost.A company's green initiative can include conserving materials through remanufacturing, converting harmful gases into clean energy, generating green power and improving fuel economy. Designing this for the environment is a process for a green business as well as making for a sustainable business. This process aids the users into considering the potential for environmental impacts of a product and the process that is takes to make that product.In turn, weighing all of these options take time and effort which makes a business a good business because they want to get their products right in order to help the environment and therefore cut down or eliminate harmful wastes.

How to Start Your Own Green Business

Have you noticed that the green industry really seems to be booming? Even mega-stores like Wal-Mart have gotten in on the action by selling organic shirts and other eco friendly products. If you are a budding entrepreneur in search of your next business venture, a green business sounds like a winner.Sell Green, Make GreenThe first step in starting your own green business is to find the right niche. The ideal niche suits your skills and talents along with your likes and dislikes. The most successful businesses out there are run by people who are truly passionate about what they do so make sure your venture is right for you.Next, you should lead by example. Show others that you believe in what you are doing by implementing these choices into your own lifestyle. After all, nobody would trust you if they found out that you don't practice what you preach. Going green and living an eco friendly lifestyle is easy and fun and it's up to you to demonstrate that to others.After that, you will need to do even more research on green living so you can pass your knowledge on to others who are also interested. By educating others, you can help them understand the importance of energy efficiency and taking care of our planet and as a result, they will pass the information to their friends and loved ones. This chain of information leads to a base of customers who are informed, interested, and ready to buy.Finally, you will need to find a group of staff and employees who are just as passionate about green living as you are. Colleagues who share your passion will be more driven to help you and your business succeed in any way they can. This motivation is really important because remember that green businesses aren't just about making money, they are also about making a difference on this planet.

Why Your Green Business Program Needs an Environmental Officer

If your business is looking to establish a green business program then you will benefit from appointing an environmental officer to manage the process. Having one person dedicated to oversee the environmental program allows the company to appoint a person with the required skills and means the employee can make environmental issues their priority rather than having to fit it around an existing workload. A dedicated environmental officer also shows the company is committed to the process of going green. In reading this article you will see the key benefits a company gains by appointing one person to oversee the green business program.The first benefit of having a dedicated environmental officer is the company can ensure the person appointed to the role has the skill set needed to implement green business practices. An employee committed to environmental issues based outside the normal operational departments will likely see areas for improvement that are not obvious to those working in each individual department. Although you cannot have a green business program without the input of staff doing the work, an environmental officer can provide an overview of the issues while incorporating the views of others in the company. Appointing an environmental officer leads to greater capacity to get things done including more in-depth strategic planning.As well as providing the overview for the green business program, the environmental officer will be responsible for maintaining records, training staff and assisting with the communications related to environmental issues. Depending on the size of the business and the staff available, it can be difficult to ensure 1. that all staff receive the required training, 2. that the training occurs on a regular basis and 3. registers are kept to show what training has occurred. Providing regular feedback to staff on the environmental program and ensuring there are open lines of communication also take time to maintain.Further having a staff member dedicated to environmental issues guarantees they have time available to investigate all the environmental impacts of the business as well as keeping an eye on new developments within the industry that will improve environmental performance. Often the requirement for a green business program is added to the role of an existing employee whether or not they have the skills or capacity to do the job. A dedicated person (who does not have to be full time) has the advantage of the environmental issues being their primary focus so their "real" job does not get in the way. This also shows staff, customers and shareholders that the company is taking its environmental commitment seriously.A lot of companies start implementing green practices without a strategic vision of where they want to go. An environmental officer can save time by ensuring there is a step by step strategic plan which is communicated throughout the company on a regular basis. Having one person accountable for creating and maintaining environmental records and ensuring staff receive training on a regular basis provides certainty that these tasks will be done.As you can see having a dedicated environmental officer provides many benefits to the company which are unlikely to be gained if the establishment of a green business program is an addition to an existing workload.

How to Own a Certified Green Business

Most people these days are recycling and using less energy in their homes and businesses. This is done partly so that our great grand children will enjoy fresh water and have enough energy to sustain their life. But if you want to take that a step further then I will show you how to become a certified green business. There are certain requirements that you must fulfill in order to get your certification.The first step is to get in touch with your counties green business coordinator. She will explain to you about the certification process, and give you the application and everything that you need to turn you office green. She will offer to come to your office and go over all the requirements with you. The explain what steps need to be taken before you can be certified.Upon your decision to become certified, you will need to examine your policies, and determine what is required. Change your policies if you need to, in order to comply with their rules. Make sure the new policies are posted for all of the employees to see. Inspire your employees to help get your business ready for the certification process. Perhaps the people that work for you will start recycling and reusing things in their own homes as a result of the business changing.Once you have had time to go over the green standards you may go online and take their assessment test to get an understanding of how it differs from your business. While you are on that website you will see they offer green tips for your use. If you are in need of extra help think about employing a certified green consultant. They will help you get closer to taking that business test.Upon your completion of the application, it is necessary to understand and adhere to the environmental rules. Be expecting people coming to you office at any time, unannounced to make sure you are upholding the regulations on a daily basis. They expect you to continue to do this as long as you own your business. Make sure that you remind your employees to keep to the rules at all times.These type of businesses are very important to the customers, most of whom are loyal to those types of shops. Several companies are now giving classes to learn how to become certified. They provide you will all the information you need and the steps that need to be taken before you take that test. Before the government steps in and makes a law that states all businesses must use green rules, go ahead and get take the necessary steps to take and pass the test.Everyone has an answer as to why the open a business, just think about why being a certified business is important to you. After you come to a conclusion and have an answer then you can continue on the journey to make your dream business a reality. Having this kind business is an incentive to bring like minded customers into your shop and do business with your company. Your company will be recognized by other business owners in your city.At this point I have given you some general information about the green business program. It is a lot of work, but if you do the work now, the rewards will be long lasting. Customers really respond well and support green businesses. They also help market your business by telling everyone they know about your shop. You could even educate your customers on the idea of saving energy and reusing is something they can do at home.

Green Business Opportunities Growing For Home Based Entrepreneurs

A whole new genre of home-based business opportunities has opened up in the past few years---those that focus on green businesses.What is a green business? It's any business that is environmentally friendly, that promotes sustainability, and that is committed to protecting the environment. It's a catch-word that is gaining popularity, but hasn't become so saturated that the general public is turned off by it. They're still intrigued and interested about the idea of a business that helps protect the environment.That doesn't mean your home business must focus on environmental activism. Going green simply means selling or supplying products that don't harm the environment. One example of a green business is affiliate marketing that focuses on promoting green products.A wide variety of environmentally-friendly products are using affiliate programs to promote their products, giving home-based entrepreneurs a way to make money while doing something that protects our world. In fact, the Internet has directories of green companies looking for affiliates.Affiliate marketing is when you promote a business, product, or service on a website that is not directly related to that service or product. One example of this would be a gardening blog that contains ads for businesses that sell environmentally-safe lawn care products. Each time someone visits that blog or website and clicks on an ad, the person who owns that website gets a small commission.Green companies use affiliate marketing because it's a cost effective way to advertise their products. In addition, they can find a target audience easily if they advertise on a website or blog that focuses on a green lifestyle. Affiliate marketing is a way for small start-up companies to advertise without breaking the bank because they only pay their affiliates when someone clicks on an ad.Multi-level marketing, also known as network marketing, is another way that green companies are distributing their products at a low cost. With network marketing, the company relies on a group of distributors who are paid a commission when they sell their product. The marketers also try to recruit others to distribute the green products and receive a commission when their recruits make a sale, as well.This way of marketing is far cheaper for new companies than traditional national distribution, which is why it is such a popular way for companies to sell their products. Several new businesses have started in the last years that giving new entrepreneurs an easy way to tap into this growing market. Typically, with network marketing start-up costs are minimal and the business owner's biggest job is marketing the website that sells the green products.These companies give entrepreneurs a win-win situation in which they are making money while helping to save the planet.

Green Innovation - Growing a Green Business - How to Find the Money

Green Innovation can be incremental, an effort to embed environmental attributes in existing products, services, or business practices. It can also be radical, developing entirely new markets based on being completely green.Either way, the process to find the opportunity and understand how to capitalize on it is the same. Start by understanding the market, look for unmet needs or emerging trends, identify solutions for problems engendered in either, test them in market, and refine/enhance them until ready for rollout.The first step is to understand the market. If your innovation is incremental, you can rely on tried and true market research methods. However, if your intent is to be radical, the process itself must be innovative. Traditional inputs plus traditional methods yields incremental results. Creative inputs plus cutting-edge methods yields transformative opportunities.Examples of creative inputs include: conducting ethnography studies in markets where your product or service is utilized very differently, and looking at different industries and how they address analogous issues.Cutting-edge insights techniques are those which get at root psychological issues, needs, and cognition. Thus, look to state of the art cognitive and behavioral psychological research techniques and apply them in business. Be careful who you employ to conduct the research to ensure the techniques are executed properly and the findings are valid.Once you have insight on unmet needs and emerging trends in your field of discovery, you are ready to define problem statements around which you will conduct creative problem-solving exercises (commonly known as ideation).Here too, traditional methods yield incremental results. Approach this with the goal of generating lists of ideas and you will have lots of marginal ideas. On the other hand, approach this as a visualization exercise with the goal of producing finished concepts and you are more likely to achieve a breakthrough.Either way, concepts must be tested for appeal, understanding, and relevance. Additionally, concept attributes will be evaluated and data gathered for understanding the target market. The data is both quantitative, such as overall appeal, and qualitative, including the comments the test audience makes about concept.Ideally, you will then offer the concept as a live product, service, or hybrid on a limited scale, i.e., a beta test or prototype. The interaction employees and customers have with a live prototype is invaluable. There are always unintended benefits and consequences.Also use the prototype to engage your customers in the innovation process by providing forums or channels for them to give you insight on their experience. Profile the prototype customers and segment their behavior with the product or service to more fully understand where the larger-scale opportunity lies.With all the learning you gain throughout the process, you are well positioned to succeed with your green innovation objectives. Additionally, you can use this process to innovate not just with customers, but also with employees and suppliers to green-up your business practices and supply chain.Green innovation can be successful in either adding green attributes to existing products or services, or developing revolutionary new green offers. Either way, there is green in green.

Converting Your Small Business Into a Green Business

As the world moves towards a more globally accepted environmental solution, there is an increasing responsibility being placed upon individuals and businesses to adopt a 'greener' outlook.Businesses are being scrutinised more now than at any time in the past. Legislation dictates that rules and procedures are stringently adhered to in a series of areas including utility use, waste disposal and emissions.Although much of this legislation has a bigger impact on larger companies, the implications are slowly but surely trickling down to the smaller business.Compliance is vital, and failure to meet standards can results in legal action, loss of reputation and even closure.But there are many things that a small business can do to make things more environmentally friendly today.Equipment should always be turned off when not in use. This not only reduces energy use by around 25% to save costs but also has a beneficial effect on the environment. Turning computers off at night can reduce PC usage costs by over 50%.Management should encourage staff to communicate by e-mail. Not only is e-mail a greener option due to the fact that natural or recycled sources aren't being wasted, but they're free and there's plenty to be save on telephone costs if everybody complies.Fax paper can be saved by making use of fax modem facilities that are probably already on a business computer anyway. These modems allow fax copies to be sent over a computer without the need for a hard copy. If printing is absolutely necessary, printing double sided documents will shave 50% off of paper usage and costs.Taps in washrooms should be tightened thoroughly after use. Just one drip per second from a tap equates to the loss of 10,000 litres of water in a single year. If a tap needs a washer, fit one.Another washroom must is the addition of one or two plastic containers filled with stones into toilet reservoirs. The displacement caused will save around 4 litres every time a receptacle is flush, which equates to a massive yearly saving.When choosing suppliers, especially for office goods, try to find somebody with a creditable green company policy that makes good use of recycled materials in the paper or products they sell. If a supplier takes back their packaging for re-use, even better!Try to make sure these suppliers are within your local area. Having to travel further to deliver leads to more emissions from the delivery vehicles. If possible, try to send a member of staff to pick up small items. It's good for the environment and good for the employee as well!When considering buying new office equipment, stop for a moment and see whether or not your existing furniture can be refurbished. This will not only save large sums of money but also won't produce any waste.Making a small business greener needn't be expensive or time consuming. The application of a little thought, some common sense and getting everybody pulling in the same direction will usually be enough.